Cashner grabs last rotation spot (Confirmed 3/26, Silva out)

[Illini Iceman]

Is it normal for pitching coaches to first break the news to guys like Silva who don't make the roster?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Cubs-blunder-even-in-cutting-48-million-bust-C?urn=mlb-wp1451

 

Yawn.

 

Non story.

[Sammy Sofa]

50" screen

money green leather sofa

 

Come back and claim your karma.

[Tracer Bullet]

Quade made decision to let Cashner start. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/cbsports-quade-my-call-to-leave-silva-off-cubs-roster--20110327,0,1458272.story

 

 

"I had a conversation with him yesterday and needed to," Quade said. "I was really disappointed when I heard the comments afterwards. First of all, he's dead (blanking) wrong, okay, about my pitching coach. And I've got no (blanking) time for that.

\

 

"Second of all, respect.. it's a two-way street, period. And whether it's him or anybody else on my club, or myself, I mean, it's a two-way street, and I don't want to hear anything about respect. If you're not willing to give it. you aint getting it. OK? I was really upset when I heard that.

 

"The third thing, and people need to know, whether he was upset with Riggs or whatever, this was my call. This was not Jim Hendry's (call). If you want to irritated with somebody, this is on me. (it was) my decision, completely and totally. And i don't need anybody covering (for me).

 

Count me in on the Quade fan club. =D>

 

Does this settle the question of whose decision this was? Sure seems to.

[Omar]

"Obviously we're dealing with a man at this stage of his career who's not willing to face the facts," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry told reporters. "What he's done for the last few years in his career, except for a two-month period, is way below major league standards. And he seems to have the continual problem (of) blaming everybody but himself."

 

Hah.

[BeerHere]

I couldn't be happier about the Silva situation. Who here didn't think Silva would bash everyone on his way out? Classless move by a classless guy. Good riddance.

 

Quade --- you are the man

[Post Count Padder]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

[pitchcs]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

[davell]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

[javy knows my name]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

 

People keep talking about this like it was Trachsel-level bad. I honestly don't see how Hendry could have done better with Bradley. The Silva trade gave us salary relief and a solid 3-4 guy for (at least half) a year that was lost, anyway. Then, we released him when he went back to suck, and we did this before he could hurt the team. WOW, what a disaster.

[davearm2]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

What lesson was that?

 

I won't repeat BeertownCubbie, but Hendry did just fine in that situation, given the options he had.

[davearm2]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

I would be curious to know Hendry's true evaluation of Silva at the time of the trade.

 

"What he's done for the last few years in his career, except for a two-month period, is way below major league standards" was pretty revealing. Sounds like Hendry expected Silva to suck right out of the gate, and may have been expecting to cut him loose before now.

[davell]

It's not a matter of what Silva gave us. It was signing an unstable Milton Bradley when there were clear outliners that it wouldn't work out. I'm not even saying I wouldn't have done it either. But, I am saying that it was obviously a mistake and I hope Hendry looks hard next time(if there is one) if he has another chance to sign a guy that looks good on paper, but clearly has issues that can come back to haunt you. If Bradley had signed a one year deal, we wouldn't have had the Silva issue to begin with.

 

And yes, I understand Bradley wasn't going to sign a one year deal. But, if I remember correctly, we had our choice of him, Ibanez, or Abreu and just chose wrong.

 

Expensive mistake, not the worst one Hendry has made(Soriano), but a mistake nonetheless.

[Omar]

Why didn't Silva just accept the trip to Iowa? Does he have that much pride in himself?

 

And does he honestly believe any other team will directly put him on the 25-man after that spring?

[hawkeyecub]

Why didn't Silva just accept the trip to Iowa? Does he have that much pride in himself?

 

And does he honestly believe any other team will directly put him on the 25-man after that spring?

 

Why would he go to the minors when he can just take the money and go hang out until he gets a call?

[SouthSideRyan]

It's not like Abreu and Ibanez didn't come with issues. Their issues were just question marks on the baseball field.

[Rob]

It's not a matter of what Silva gave us. It was signing an unstable Milton Bradley when there were clear outliners that it wouldn't work out. I'm not even saying I wouldn't have done it either. But, I am saying that it was obviously a mistake and I hope Hendry looks hard next time(if there is one) if he has another chance to sign a guy that looks good on paper, but clearly has issues that can come back to haunt you. If Bradley had signed a one year deal, we wouldn't have had the Silva issue to begin with.

 

And yes, I understand Bradley wasn't going to sign a one year deal. But, if I remember correctly, we had our choice of him, Ibanez, or Abreu and just chose wrong.

 

Expensive mistake, not the worst one Hendry has made(Soriano), but a mistake nonetheless.

 

I'm still not sure Bradley was the wrong choice considering the other options.

 

Bradley had performed at a higher level than either of the other two in recent years and was significantly younger. He also was capable of playing RF, something that Ibanez (-21 runs in LF the last three years in Seattle) and Abreu (-27 in RF the previous three years) couldn't lay claim to.

 

Yeah, Bobby Abreu ended up signing for crazy cheap after it became apparent nobody else was really looking to pay big money for an OF. If anybody had known the price he'd end up going for, he would have been the right choice. But at the time the Bradley contract was signed, Abreu was looking for more years with a higher average annual salary... as was Ibanez.

 

All in all though, it just goes to show the importance of having a good farm system...

[davell]

It's not like Abreu and Ibanez didn't come with issues. Their issues were just question marks on the baseball field.

 

 

What were they? Was there serious question as to whether Ibanez could still play the OF? I'm guessing that was his issue, because he was coming off a very solid season at the plate anyway. I guess it could have been age too, but he had showed no signs of slipping to that point and a 3 year deal with regular decline from him still wouldn't have been all that bad.

 

 

What was it with Abreu? Power loss potentially, since he had been playing with the short porch at Yankee Stadium? Defense?

[mhuber92211]

Perhaps something like this and the subsequent comments will go a long ways to develop camaraderie in the clubhouse. Not intending to start a team chemistry debate here but situations like this can endear a group of people with management and thus a better relationship is born.

 

Happens all the time in business where a member of a team gets let go and the management gets some public flack about it. Then the remaining team go to bat for the management and mutual respect is born.

[Rob]

Just for fun... let's close the book on the Bradley and Silva stuff.

 

We signed Bradley for 3/30. It was broken down with a $4 mil signing bonus, $5 mil in 2009, $9 mil in 2010, and $11 mil in 2011. Just for the purposes of this, let's go ahead and slap the signing bonus on year one (where it seems to belong) and call it $9/$9/$12. Silva was traded for with $25 million left on his contract ($11.5 mil in 2010, 2011, and a $2 mil buyout for 2012) and the Mariners sent back $6 mil, as well as picking up Bradley's entire contract (valued at $21 mil).

 

So we paid Bradley $9 mil in 2009, Silva $11.5 mil in 2010 and 2011, and a $2 mil buyout, minus of course the $6 mil the Mariners sent ...or $28 million total. In that timeframe, Bradley gave up a 1.1 WAR season and Silva gave us a 2.1 WAR season, a total of 3.2 WAR... or $8.75 million per WAR over the course of these two contracts.

 

If Alfonso Soriano hurt his knee and never played another game in the next four years, even his albatross of a contract would only come in moderately worse, at $9.65 million per WAR.

[CubColtPacer]

Just for fun... let's close the book on the Bradley and Silva stuff.

 

We signed Bradley for 3/30. It was broken down with a $4 mil signing bonus, $5 mil in 2009, $9 mil in 2010, and $11 mil in 2011. Just for the purposes of this, let's go ahead and slap the signing bonus on year one (where it seems to belong) and call it $9/$9/$12. Silva was traded for with $25 million left on his contract ($11.5 mil in 2010, 2011, and a $2 mil buyout for 2012) and the Mariners sent back $6 mil, as well as picking up Bradley's entire contract (valued at $21 mil).

 

So we paid Bradley $9 mil in 2009, Silva $11.5 mil in 2010 and 2011, and a $2 mil buyout, minus of course the $6 mil the Mariners sent ...or $28 million total. In that timeframe, Bradley gave up a 1.1 WAR season and Silva gave us a 2.1 WAR season, a total of 3.2 WAR... or $8.75 million per WAR over the course of these two contracts.

 

If Alfonso Soriano hurt his knee and never played another game in the next four years, even his albatross of a contract would only come in moderately worse, at $9.65 million per WAR.

 

The Mariners sent the Cubs 9 million. And there's opportunity cost involved as well. Silva would likely have given positive WAR for the Cubs this year but he also would have taken up a roster spot that will likely be filled with somebody who will also likely give a positive WAR number. Giving 3.2 WAR over a year and a half (since Silva missed most of the second half of last year with injuries) is more valuable than giving 3.2 WAR over 3 years even if you have to pay for all 3 years.

[SouthSideRyan]

It's not like Abreu and Ibanez didn't come with issues. Their issues were just question marks on the baseball field.

 

 

What were they? Was there serious question as to whether Ibanez could still play the OF? I'm guessing that was his issue, because he was coming off a very solid season at the plate anyway. I guess it could have been age too, but he had showed no signs of slipping to that point and a 3 year deal with regular decline from him still wouldn't have been all that bad.

 

 

What was it with Abreu? Power loss potentially, since he had been playing with the short porch at Yankee Stadium? Defense?

 

What Rob said

[KingCubsFan]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

What lesson was that?

 

I won't repeat BeertownCubbie, but Hendry did just fine in that situation, given the options he had.

It never should have gotten to this in the first place. Along with Juan Pierre, signing Milton Bradley was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by Hendry. He did it out of a need to get "more lefthanded" which was completely idiotic given that the idea grew out of a three game sweep by the Dodgers, and ignored the fact that we were one of the best teams in baseball against righthanded pitching in 2008. It was a mistake the moment the ink dried, much like Soriano's contract.

[Backtobanks]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

What lesson was that?

 

I won't repeat BeertownCubbie, but Hendry did just fine in that situation, given the options he had.

It never should have gotten to this in the first place. Along with Juan Pierre, signing Milton Bradley was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by Hendry. He did it out of a need to get "more lefthanded" which was completely idiotic given that the idea grew out of a three game sweep by the Dodgers, and ignored the fact that we were one of the best teams in baseball against righthanded pitching in 2008. It was a mistake the moment the ink dried, much like Soriano's contract.

 

And combining this with the "Soriano Signing" thread, I wonder if the need to get "more lefthanded" was pushed on him by the manager and not necessarily Hendry's idea.

[KingCubsFan]

And combining this with the "Soriano Signing" thread, I wonder if the need to get "more lefthanded" was pushed on him by the manager and not necessarily Hendry's idea.

It was probably Piniella's, but it doesn't really matter. One of Hendry's weaknesses has always been catering too much to what the manager wants (some might call it a strength, depending on who you talk to). Good GM's tend to have one philosophy and find a manager that agrees with him, or get an indifferent manager that goes along with the organizational philosophy. Instead, we get the "more speed," "more athletic," "more lefthanded," "better chemistry" slogan that changes every offseason.

[javy knows my name]

I'm liking Quade more and more each day.

 

And kudos to Hendry for those comments, as well.

 

It was refreshing to hear; I was thinking it was the most outspoken I've ever heard Hendry.

 

However, you really have to wonder how big of a vagina Hendry actually was with Silva and letting him in on this info. I know the Cubs don't owe Silva anything other than his $$, but Hendry's comments really lead me to believe Silva had no chance from the start. Silva's an idiot and I'm happy, but I'd probably be a little pissed if I were him as well.

 

To me, the only way Silva truly had a right to be pissed was if he had came out and pitched great this spring, Cashner didn't, and he STILL got passed over. Then, I could see him having a reason to be upset. But, he didn't.(thank the lord)

 

It all goes back to when we traded a turd sandwich for a giant douche. Hopefully Hendry learned his lesson with that one.

What lesson was that?

 

I won't repeat BeertownCubbie, but Hendry did just fine in that situation, given the options he had.

It never should have gotten to this in the first place. Along with Juan Pierre, signing Milton Bradley was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by Hendry. He did it out of a need to get "more lefthanded" which was completely idiotic given that the idea grew out of a three game sweep by the Dodgers, and ignored the fact that we were one of the best teams in baseball against righthanded pitching in 2008. It was a mistake the moment the ink dried, much like Soriano's contract.

 

So let me get this straight. Because Hendry made a poor signing in Bradley, we can't even look at the good trade he made to get rid of him and save a little money AND get average production from a 5 starter? This is a slippery mother [expletive] slope you're on right now.